38 Writing in Math

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Writing in Math

Start-Up Activity

On the board, write "+ = and" then " – = not" then "= = is." Challenge students to decipher your strange hieroglyphics. ("The plus sign means and," "the minus sign means not," and "the equals sign means is.") Once you point out these meanings, those marks won't look like hieroglyphics anymore.

Help your student see that writing and math both just involve using symbols to represent ideas. That's why the two disciplines can work so well together.

Think About It

“Mathematics is the queen of the sciences.”

—Carl Friedrich Gauss

Page 332 from Write on Course 20-20

Math Table

A math table (often created as a spreadsheet) allows a great deal of raw data to be organized according to different traits. It also allows for the student (or the spreadsheet program) to perform mathematical operations on data to generate new data. The text around the table explains the data.

Have a volunteer read the top part of the model along with the side note. Then ask students questions about the math table:

  • Which box had the greatest height? Which had the greatest width? Which had the greatest depth?
  • How do small changes to any of these three dimensions effect the volume?
  • What is the best way to describe the density of something? (the ratio between weight and volume)

Then read the rest of the model and see what other observations the writer had.

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Page 333 from Write on Course 20-20

Writing Guidelines: Math Table

Help students find a math topic by freewriting. You can use the related minilesson to teach freewriting.

After they have selected math topics, have them go collect their measurements, recording them in notes that they will use to build their tables.

Review with them the tips for creating the beginning, middle, and ending of their math tables. Then give students time to write.

Afterward, provide the revising and editing checklist to help them improve their writing.

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Page 334 from Write on Course 20-20

Statistical Analysis

Now, students have the chance to put those math tables to work. Not only will students gather data and display it in a table, but they will use the data to argue a mathematical point.

Read the top part of the sample analysis aloud and pause to allow students to silently study the table. Then read the middle and pause for them to study the next table. Then read the ending and lead a discussion about the model:

  • Which movie do you think will end up being the highest grossing? Why?
  • What does it mean to adjust for inflation? Why is it important to adjust for inflation? 
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Page 335 from Write on Course 20-20

Writing Guidelines: Statistical Analysis

Ask students about their favorite hobbies or sports. Help them discover the statistics that can connect to a passion of theirs. Then get them to gather statistics into a math table.

Once students have their statistics ready, review the writing tips.

After students create their statistical analyses, provide the revising and editing checklist to help them improve their work.

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Page 336 from Write on Course 20-20

Other Math Forms and Math Subjects

Use the top half of the page as an index to other writing forms that you can use to deepen students' understanding of math concepts.

Use the bottom half of the page as a listing of general math subjects that can provide a starting point for students to find a specific topic to write about.

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